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444 as much as possible, so that he might rest contented without going further in search of what he would more readily find in her castle than in any other place in the world.

The hands appeared, bearing flambeaux, and the Prince, following them with White Cat, entered a magnificent gallery running along the side of a large river, on which there was an astonishing display of fireworks. Four cats were to be burnt there, that had been tried and sentenced in due form. They were accused of having eaten the roast meat provided for the White Cat's supper, her cheese, her milk, and even of having conspired against her life with Martafax and L'Hermite, two famous rats of that country, and held as such by La Fontaine, a very faithful historian: but with all that, it was well known there was a great deal of cabal in the matter, and that the majority of the witnesses had been tampered with. However this might be, the Prince obtained their pardon. The fireworks did no injury to any one, and never yet were seen such splendid sky-rockets.

After this, a very nice supper was served, which gave the Prince more gratification than the fireworks, for he was very hungry, and the wooden horse had brought him at such a pace that he had never ridden so hard before in his life. The following days were passed like those that had preceded them, in a thousand various entertainments with which the ingenious White Cat regaled her guest. Our Prince is probably the first mortal who ever found so much amusement amongst cats, without any other society.

It is true that White Cat was possessed of agreeable, sweet, and almost universal talent. She was wiser than a cat is allowed to be. The Prince was sometimes astonished at her knowledge. "No," said he, "it is not natural for you to possess all these wonderful qualities I discover in you. If you love me, charming Pussy, explain to me by what miracle you are enabled to think and speak so perfectly, that you might be elected a member of the most famous Academy of Arts and Sciences?" "Cease to question me, Son of a King," said she to him; "I am not allowed to answer; and thou mayest carry thy conjectures as far as thou wilt without my contradicting thee. Let it suffice that I have always a velvet paw for thee, and that I take an affectionate interest in all that concerns thee."